How To Cook Steak Florentine

Ready to experience Florence, Italy in your backyard? You gotta try florentine steak for two! In this blog you’ll learn about the dish, and how to cook steak florentine like a pro.

Steak florentine, aka Bistecca alla Fiorentina, is a simple way to prepare a steak that is traditionally served rare, and family style on a platter. It’s simplicity allows the beef flavor to be the star of the show; in this blog you’ll learn how to make that happen.

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What Makes Steak Florentine Different Than Other Steaks?

There are a couple of things that make steak florentine unique. First, the breed of cattle the steak is harvested from. 

Traditionally, the florentine steak comes from an ancient breed of cattle called Chianina. Chianina is well known for its remarkable flavor. Because of that, the steak is seasoned only with salt and olive oil.

Next, is the cut of meat. Steak florentine is a thick cut porterhouse. Not a T-bone, there is a difference between the two.

By thick cut, I mean roughly three inches. The steak needs to be thick enough to stand on its edge and in Italy this thickness is measured in fingers.

Why Does Steak Florentine Look Raw?

Well, in part because this cut is traditionally served nearly blue rare. So, it does look raw in the middle.

Steak florentine, being such a thick cut of meat, will get an incredible char on the outside while this inside stays pretty rare. Grilling it till the inside was more done, would result in the outside being overdone.

So, if you like your steak a little more on the medium side, check out my tips below.

How Is Bistecca alla Fiorentina Served?

Florentine steak, isn’t a steak for one…well, for most people anyway. At around 3 pounds it’s intended to be shared so it’s served family style.

The meat is cut from the bone and then sliced into strips, and placed on a hot platter with the bone. The thickness of the strips is important.

The strips should be cut thick, about an inch and a half is usually perfect. This serves two purposes. 

First, cutting the strips thick allows them to be tossed back on the grill if someone prefers a more medium doneness. If the strips were cut thin, they would get overcooked when placed back on the grill.

Second, it takes a minute to eat a steak of this magnitude. Slicing it too thin would result in the meat being cold by the time it was finished. Thicker slices prevent that. 

Tips For Cooking Steak Florentine

• Start with close to room temperature meat. I let this sit out on the counter for three hours before putting it on the grill. Putting a steak this thick on the grill directly from the refrigerator will prevent it from cooking correctly.
• If possible, cook the steak over a wood fire. Burning down oak wood to create a coal bed is not only traditional, it adds an element of flavor. Charcoal also works well, but if wood is available give it a shot.
• Move the steak around the grill grate, and flip often. This allows for the steak to always be in contact with an extremely hot portion of the grill grate, which aids in the searing process.
• Don’t get painted into the corner of tradition. If you like other seasonings besides salt, go for it. Try swapping the olive oil for clarified butter, etc. 
• Make use of a preheated, oven safe platter for serving. This will help to keep the steak warm, and allow it to continue gently cooking as it’s being served. 

How To Make Steak Florentine

Prep Time: 5 mins. | Cook Time: 15 mins. | Serves: 2-4

Ingredients
1 3-4 pound Porterhouse steak, 3 inches thick
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp coarse kosher salt
½ cup warm clarified butter (optional)
1 tablespoon sea salt flakes 
2 lemons, cut in half (optional)
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Step 1: Remove the steak from the refrigerator three hours prior to grilling it. Place it on the countertop at room temperature. Season the steak on both sides and on the edges with coarse kosher salt.

Step 2: Light your grill and set it up for direct heat cooking. Create a bed of coals that is higher on one side and lower on the other. The area above the high mound of coals will be ripping hot, the area with less coals will be a medium heat area.

Step 3: Dab off any moisture from the steak with a paper towel, then evenly coat it with a thin coat of olive oil.

Place the steak on the grill grate, directly over high direct heat. Turn and reposition the steak on the grill grate above the high heat often, grilling for a total of about eight minutes, four minutes per side.

Tip* By moving the steak around the grill grate, it allows for the steak to always be in contact with an extremely hot portion of the grate, which aids in the searing process.

Step 4: Position the steak on its end (bone side on the grate) over the medium direct heat portion of the grill. Allow it to cook for four additional minutes. If you notice any flare ups, reposition the steak to a different area of the grill. While the steak is cooking on its edge, place the optional lemons on the grill, cut side down, over high direct heat.

Step 5: After 12 minutes total, remove the steak and lemons from the grill. Place an oven safe serving platter on the grill off to the side over indirect heat. Close the lid to allow the platter to preheat. 

Step 6: Tent the steak with aluminum foil for five minutes, then slice the steak off the bone into thick portions.

Step 7: Place the steak and bone on the preheated platter. Drizzle the steak with warm clarified butter, flake sea salt and parsley.

Step 8: Serve family style on the hot platter, squeezing optional charred lemon juice on the steak as desired.